Transparency

ARCHIVED - Survey of Bisphenol A in Bottled Water Products

This content was archived on June 24 2013.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.

Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping the people of Canada maintain and improve their health.We assess the safety of drugs and many consumer products, help improve the safety of food, and provide information to Canadians to help them make healthy decisions. We provide health services to First Nations people and to Inuit communities. We work with the provinces to ensure our health care system serves the needs of Canadians.

Table of Contents

Background

Bisphenol A (BPA) is the common name for 2,2-(4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl)propane, 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol, or 2,2'-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane. It is used as an intermediate in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate is used in food storage containers such as baby bottles, water bottles and water carboys; epoxy resins are used in the internal coating for food and beverage cans to protect the food from direct contact with the metal. BPA can migrate from polycarbonate plastic containers and cans with epoxy coating into foods, especially at elevated temperatures (for example, for hot-fill or heat-processed canned foods). BPA is one of the 23000 chemical substances on the CEPA (Canadian Environmental Protection Act) Domestic Substance List (DSL) identified for further evaluation under the Government of Canada's chemical management plan (CMP).

BPA was included in Batch 2 of the Challenge under CMP carried out by Health Canada and Environment Canada. On October 18, 2008, the Government of Canada released its final assessment report, including the Government's proposed risk management approaches to reduce Canadian exposure to BPA. Health Canada has committed to a research and monitoring agenda to further investigate potential human health effects of BPA and improve its understanding of Canadian exposure to this chemical through food sources. The purpose of this survey was to gather occurrence levels of BPA in bottled water products to contribute in updating the BPA exposure estimate for Canadians. The survey results were also published in the peer-reviewed scientific literatureFootnote 1.

Sampling Plan and Analytical Methodology

In this survey, samples of 54 different bottled water products marketed under 21 brands by 16 companies were purchased in a local store in Ottawa in April 2008. These products covered a variety of water types, such as spring, mineral, flavoured, carbonated and non-carbonated. These products came in various types of containers including glass, metal, high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) and polycarbonate. In addition, samples from two different brands of bottled water products in polycarbonate carboys in the office area (delivered directly by the producers) were also analysed for BPA. Containers of all polycarbonate bottled water products were the 18.5-L polycarbonate carboys.

The method based on isotope dilution headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by GC-MS analysisFootnote 2, developed previously by Health Canada, was used to analyse water samples for the presence of BPA in 56 bottled water products sold in Canada. The method detection limit (MDL) was 0.5 µg/LFootnote *. A total of 68 samples from the 56 bottled water products were collected, and two subsamples from each sample were analysed. The results shown in Table 1Footnote 3 are the average of the two analyses.

Notes:

Bottled water samples were tested as consumed.

It should be noted that the absence of any particular brand from this survey means only that the brand was not included in the survey. No particular inference should be drawn from the presence or absence of any brand.

Samples represent a "snapshot" of the market at the time of sampling and do not represent market share. Product names and availability correspond to the time of sampling and may not represent current products on the market. Differences between brands do not necessarily reflect differences in consumer exposure to BPA.

The results shown in Table 1Footnote 3 are generated for research purposes and should not be used to indicate the distribution of bisphenol A in bottled water products or as indices of good product choices for consumers.

BPA Levels in Bottled Water Products

Table 1Footnote 3 summarizes the levels of BPA determined in samples of the bottled water products. Levels of BPA in samples from all 51 non-polycarbonate bottled water products were less than the method detection limit of 0.5 µg/LFootnote *. BPA was detected in 13 of 17 samples from 4 of the 5 different polycarbonate bottled water products. Concentrations of BPA ranged from 0.50 to 8.82 µg/LFootnote *, with an average of 1.5 µg/LFootnote *. Since migration of BPA from polycarbonate containers into water at room temperature is very slow, it is likely that the products with higher BPA levels were exposed to heat (e.g. under the sun) during storage, and / or transportation.

The current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and young children.

In view of uncertainties related to datasets on possible neurodevelopmental and behavioural effects that BPA may have in experimental animals, Health Canada's Food Directorate has recommended that precaution be exerted on products consumed by the sensitive subset of the population, i.e. infants and newborns, by applying the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principle to reduce their exposure to BPA through food packaging applications.

Other international food regulatory agencies - notably in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia-New Zealand - have reviewed the Health Risk Assessment of Bisphenol A from Food Packaging ApplicationsFootnote +, prepared by Health Canada's Food Directorate, and have confirmed that the conclusions reached are supported by the current scientific evidence as described in the document.

The contribution of BPA levels in bottled water to the overall exposure is negligible for the general population, and the consumption of water from polycarbonate carboys does not pose a safety concern.

Based on the average BPA level found in polycarbonate bottled water products (1.5 µg/LFootnote *), an adult (60 kg body weight) would have to consume approximately 1000 L of bottled water from polycarbonate carboys in one day to approach the TDI set by Health Canada's Food Directorate. For the specific population who consume water packaged only in polycarbonate carboys, the exposure to BPA would increase from 0.18 to 0.22 µg/kg body weight assuming an average of 1.5 µg/LFootnote * of BPA in polycarbonate bottled water and an average daily water consumption of 1.5 L.

The results of this survey clearly indicate that exposure to BPA through the consumption of bottled water would be extremely low. The low levels of BPA found in polycarbonate bottled water products available for sale in Canada confirm Health Canada's previous assessment conclusion that the current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging uses is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population.

Table 1: Concentrations (µg/L) of BPA in bottled water products as consumed

It should be noted that the absence of any particular brand from this survey means only that the brand was not included in the survey. No particular inference should be drawn from the presence or absence of any brand.

Samples represent a "snapshot" of the market and do not represent market share. Product names and availability correspond to the time of sampling and may not represent current products on the market. Differences between brands do not necessarily reflect differences in consumer exposure to BPA.

The results shown in the table are exploratory and should not be used to indicate the distribution of bisphenol A in bottled water products or as indices of good product choices for consumers.

Table - Concentrations (µg/L) of BPA in bottled water products as consumed

The data contained in this document was published in peer-reviewed literature: Cao, Xu-Liang and Corriveau, Jeannette. Survey of Bisphenol A in Bottled Water Products in Canada, Food Additives and Contaminants: Part B Vol. 1, No. 2, December 2008, 161-164.